


son of the sun

by fernweh (lumenera)



Category: The Underland Chronicles - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Gen, Maybe Character Study?, Post Code of Claw, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24078619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumenera/pseuds/fernweh
Summary: He should forget about the Underland. Forget about all the events that transpired there, forget about the creatures, the people, all of it. But he can't. In fact, it's more of the opposite; he remembers everything. Sandwich's stone carved prophecies. Ripred. Vikus. Luxa. Nerissa. Aurora. Hazard. Temp. Mareth. Howard. Luxa most of all, really.Gregor in Virginia, after the events of Code of Claw, and his eventual return to the Underland.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	son of the sun

Their move to Virginia has only been a few weeks settled with the brunt of what happened hits him.

Every time he closes his eyes, he can see them. Henry, leaping to his death. Pandora, eaten alive. Thalia, in the cave. Ares, the sword piercing his flesh. The Bane. He can't sleep well anymore, because every time he tries, the nightmares overtake him. He wakes up screaming until his throat is hoarse and his voice turns to dust, an empty, soundless cry from the boy with nothing more left to give.

He doesn't miss the concerned looks from his mother, the scrutiny under Lizzie's knowing gaze. They can't afford to get him medication, nor explain why he needs it, so he struggles to put on a facade of normalcy for the rest of his family. He's the oldest, he has to be responsible, right?

He's thirteen.

***

It was too much, all of it. Dragged into a war that was never his and expected to finish it. But it was his fate from the very beginning, wasn't it? Sandwich made sure of it.

He should forget about the Underland. Forget about all the events that transpired there, forget about the creatures, the people, all of it. But he can't. In fact, it's more of the opposite; he remembers everything. Sandwich's stone carved prophecies. Ripred. Vikus. Luxa. Nerissa. Aurora. Hazard. Temp. Mareth. Howard. Luxa most of all, really. Pale blonde hair, paler skin from lack of sunlight, with bright violet eyes and a determination that could rival the stubbornest of stubborn.

He doesn't talk about it with the rest of his family; they've suffered enough. Both of his parents pretend like the Underland never existed. Soon, Boot's cries of "Temp? Temp?" fade into normal four year old behavior, and she forgets how to speak Crawler. The same can't be said for nine year old Lizzie, though. Even though she spent the least time in the Underland, she's still old enough to remember everything that happened. He catches her drawing Ripred, then Luxa, then him in his black armor, mounted on top of Ares. 

"I don't want to forget," she whispers to him, snuggled up on the couch with a sketchpad balanced in her lap and a peeled orange on the table.

"Me neither," he whispers back.

She tears out the drawing of Luxa and gives it to him. "It's for you."

Lizzie's always been talented with a pencil, and she's captured the essence of Luxa beautifully. He puts the paper in one of his books, lest a family member walk in and ask why there's a drawing of a girl on his wall.

***

Gregor enrolls in middle school. The days blur into one another, all dreadfully boring. The scars fade, over time, but most of them remain, barely visible. He makes sure no one asks him any questions about it, choosing to wear longer sleeves when he can. He doesn't go swimming anymore. Compared to eveything that already happened to him, things pass by in a monotone, dull way like only normal life can.

Some of his classmates give him a wide berth. He sticks out from the rest of them, he knows that. Not only because of his slight New York accent, but because his eyes have seen too much. He's okay with it, though. He keeps to himself.

He helps out on the farm during the summers. Weeding is a sort of activity where you don't have to think, just do. He stakes tomato plants. He runs the little produce stand they have on the side of the road. He helps make strawberry jam when it's in season(Boots eats half their stash, so he sends Lizzie out to harvest more). He harvests eggs from the hen coop with Boots. That's her favorite one to do. All the chickens run away from her, though. Lizzie finds a way to put one on a leash, and they take it for a walk. He helps out with the deliveries. Their farm supplies food for some local restaurants, so he loads box after box and rides in the passenger seat to unload the produce as well.

He keeps an eye out for cockroaches. Gregor refuses to kill another insect again, after meeting so many down in the Underland, so he does his best to relocate them to a safe place.

In Virginia, there are no wars he has to stop. No rats he has to fight, no prophecies he has to live up to. No quests he has to embark on, no swords he has to wield. It's a vastly different world he lives in now, for the better or worse, he's not sure.

***

Gregor is eighteen when he returns to New York City. He's enrolled in a community college he saved up for for months with his minimum wage job, aided by his state citizenship status, multiple scholarships, and financial aid. Both of his parents give him looks when he told them he wanted to go back. It's the first time they've acknowledged the Underland in 6 years. They suggest enrolling into a Virginia community college, or taking online classes, or just not going at all, but he told them he had to do this. He arranges to stay with Mrs. Cormanci while he attends school in New York. She's delighted to have him, she tells him. It's been lonely around the apartment building, being the only one there. None of her three kids visit as much as she would like, so the arrangement benefits her well.

 _And, of course, I'll be glad to have a helper again,_ she says in her email. _You did such a wonderful job when you were around last time._

He's got a week before classes start, so here he is, with his one suitcase, in his old apartment building. Over the years, it hasn't changed. Same peeling paint in the lobby, same threadbare couches.

"Gregor, dear, is that you?"

"Mrs. Cormanci?"

She sweeps him into a hug. "I haven't see you in forever! How have you been? Com'on, let's get you settled."

"I've been okay, I guess." Nothing happened in Virginia. "Lots of farm work."

"The food must have been amazing, all of it being fresh."

"Yeah, it was pretty good."

She keeps up a steady stream of chatter as they enter her apartment. "Second door on the left is yours. Let me know when you want dinner, okay?"

***

After dinner, he stands outside of the laundry room, unsure of as if whether to go in or not. Mrs. Cormanci gave him a knowing look and just told him to be back before school started at latest. Gregor doesn't know if he's ready to return, though. _But isn't that what he came back for? What he spent the last three years working for?_ He steps inside. The washing and drying machines have changed, probably newer models. He crosses the room to stand in front of the metal grate. It's closed, so he opens it and swings his legs over the edge.

Gregor lets go, jumping in legs first. The drop is still as unpleasant as he remembers, both in terms of free falling and length. He's glad he didn't eat anything recently, otherwise he would've probably thrown it up by now. The air catches under him, and he lands gently on his feet. He pulls out a flashlight and clicks it on, illuminating the dark tunnel. It's been such a long time since he was here, and the tunnels are still as intimidating as ever. He can't remember which way is which, so he picks a tunnel at random, searching through his memories to guide him. Last time, he used the tunnels under Central Park, but those go over the Waterway, and he doesn't have a flier waiting for him anymore. _Ares_. A pang hits his chest, and he takes a deep breath.

Somehow, after, multiple turns, he makes it to Regalia. The city is livelier than ever, without the threat of war looming above it. He makes his way to the palace, turning heads as he walks by. His name ripples through the crowd. _The Overlander has returned_. He supposes the seven years he was away didn't help his notoriety. With his tan skin from all the hours on the farm in the warm Virginia sun, he sticks out sharply among the pale Underlanders.

With one look at him, the guards let him in.

"Gregor!" Vikus looks up on surprise from scattered papers. "You have returned."

"Um, hi." Gregor says back. Vikus has not aged well, but between dealing with the aftermath of the war and running a country, it's no wonder he hasn't.

"Luxa and Hazard are having tea together, so you can go join them if you wish."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Vikus points him to a guard that will take him there. "I do hope you stay for a while."

"I can stay a couple days," Gregor replies. Vikus beams at him and assures him that a bed will be made up for him for the night.

The guard leads him down the hallways of the palace and to the dining room. 

There she is. Luxa. Sitting at the end of the table, drinking tea and laughing with Aurora and a boy who must be Hazard. He's grown from the kid he used to be, much taller, and curly black hair almost past his ears. He must be what, 13? A year or two older then the last time Gregor was here. A crown glints in Luxa's long blonde hair. She must be two years into her queendom by now. _What different lives they have lead_ , Gregor things.

Aurora gasps. "The Overlander returns?"

Luza snaps her head towards Gregor, Hazard following suit.

"Welcome back, Gregor." Her voice is warm, so much different than their first meeting all those years ago.

"Gregor!" Hazard bounds towards him, and crushes him in a hug.

"Hey, Aurora, hey, Luxa, hey, Hazard." He greets each one of them, and returns Hazard's hug.

"I thought you moved to Virginia?" Luxa's tone is questioning, and she trips over the state name, unfamiliar with it. She's glad to see him, it seems, but just isn't quite sure how he got there.

"I came back for college." He explains, but notices her confused look. They must not have college. "I came back to study here."

She nods in understanding. "And what is it that you are studying?"

"I'm not sure yet." he admits. "I just wanted to come back to New york." He leaves the words unspoken. _I wanted to come back to the Underland_. But Luxa hears them anyway.

A faint smile graces her face, tell him all he needs to know. _I'm glad you've returned as well_.

***

Howard is at the Fount, but Mareth and Solovet are here to greet him warmly. The next day, he rides out to the Deadlands.

"Well, well, well, look what the bat dragged in." Ripred says in lieu of a greeting, slouching as always.

Gregor rolled his eyes. "Hello to you too, Ripred."

"How's Lizzie?" It's clear who the favorite is to Ripred.

"She's doing pretty good. Acing all of her classes."

Ripred nods, like he understands. "Of course she is. She's an intelligent one."

They catch up on all the things he missed over the pass seven years, in the aftermath of the war, and the new human-rat treaty created by Luxa's and Ripred's bond. There are still a group of rats who dissent, but they're small in number. They've been stirring up a little bit of trouble, but not enough to fully warrent anything. Most of the gnawers have accepted--welcomed the peace, even.

They spend the entire day together, and for old time's sake, duel.

"You've gotten slow, Overlander." Ripred taunts.

Gregor lifts his blade to block his tail. "I haven't picked up a sword in 6 years, what do you expect?"

Ripred wins, naturally. Gregror's sword clatters to the ground.

"Have you been practicing your echolocation?"

"No."

Ripred sighs. "What are we going to do with you, pup?"

"I'm eighteen." Gregor says defensively.

"Still a pup to me." Classic Ripred.

***

"How long are you staying?" Luxa asks him, when he returns to Regalia.

"A week, maybe. A couple more days? I have to go back for class, but I can try to make more visits on the weekends."

Luxa nods, saying softly, "I'd like that."

"Me too."

They lapse into a comfortable silence. Gregor realizes he missed this. Even with the Underland being as turblent it was, there were times of peace, times of happiness. He missed the Underland.

Luxa kisses him on the cheek. "Good night, Gregor."

"Good night, Luxa."

**Author's Note:**

> I could scream at Suzanne Collins because they're KIDS. Gregor is 11 when the series starts. Like seriously? At least Katniss is 16 but STILL.
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://lumenera.tumblr.com/) to talk about the Underland Chronicles if you want to, hope you enjoyed it :)


End file.
